Any ideas what we could use closed school buildings for??

[cbdo2007]

KCMO School district is closing like 25 schools so the buildings will just sit empty.

I was thinking, why just let empty buildings sit there? There has to be something the district or the city could do with those buildings to help people. Expand community education, teach job skills to adults, even help people understand their mortgages, etc. Anybody got any good ideas??

[MineralMan]

1. Homeless shelters, free clinics, and educational centers for the

unemployed. Abandoned schools are ideally suited for such uses.

[panader0]

2. How about homeless shelters?

Complete with a cafeteria, gym, etc.

[ananda]

3. free clinics, homeless shelters, food pantries

nt

[saltpoint]

4. Schools.

We could use them for schools.

[FSogol]

6. Many schools aren't closed for economic reasons, they are closed because the neighborhood changed

and the families with young kids are gone. The distribution of students moves elsewhere in the area.

[saltpoint]

7. True.

[FSogol]

5. Make them community centers. Open the gyms for rec programs

and rent them for adult basketball leagues and Jazzercise classes. Rent the cafeterias for events. Move school offices and county offices from leased spaces into the empty offices in the building. Teach English and Spanish classes in the rooms both during the day and at night. Create an arts program. Etc, etc.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

8. If they are old they are likely full of asbestos and other undesirables.

If you use them for shelters, normal upkeep will be required. I'm sure the city does not want to be responsible for the upkeep or the risks of providing unsafe shelter. I'm also sure homeless could not afford normal maintenance. Ultimately, whatever is done there (school, shelter, etc) will need voted on by the taxpayers because whatever is done there will require some funding. Most cities don't have money to spend on more social programs.

If I were the city, I'd sell or rent the buildings to the highest bidder on a land lease.

[PRETZEL]

12. I would agree,

some of these schools probably closed because of demographics. Some because of age and the rest because of lack of funding.

I think some of the suggestions are doable. I've seen it in action. However, it takes alot of concessions on the city's part to make it happen. Tax abatements are usually the best, but councils also have to look at zoning restrictions and what types of variances they'd allow.

It's not an easy process.

[Gold Metal Flake]

9. Public educational infrastructure should be used for public education.

One way or another. The hemorrhaging of public tax revenue into private hands of our educational commons must end.

[lunatica]

10. Some schools have kitchens. Feed the needy.

Use the athletic facilities for youth basketball and baseball. Use music rooms to make music.

[xchrom]

11. Schools? Nt

[Altoid_Cyclist]

13. We have three very different uses for closed schools in town.

Two large Junior Highs were recently replaced by one united school due to the large reduction in population since the 40's & 50's. One was demolished while the other one was converted into Senior citizen (55 & over) apartments.

An old Elementary School serves as an adult education center for things such as GED classes, job training skills and computer courses (which are free) for people looking to re-enter the job market or just people who never had any training in computers.

Another old Elementary School near our house served as a Union Hall for two counties until recently.

[Double T]

14. Apartments for all ages and wages.

[zipplewrath]

15. Adult Education

It really depends upon what the needs of the community are. There are alot of different kinds of adult education that can be done. Resume writing, economic food preparation, income tax filing, how to start a business, GED, SAT/GRE prep, and on and on. Then there's the social issues, various forms of out reach such as AA, Alanon, domestic violence counseling, teen pregnancy/parenthood, etc. The facilities can also be leased/loaned/lent to people trying to get businesses going. The kitchens are "certified" and someone trying to get a catering business started can make use of them. They have storage facilities appropriate for say a landscaping business. Heck, they have parking for people who need to park commercial vehicles over night.

Then there are cooperative efforts. Think flea market only on a barter basis. You bring your left over building materials and others can buy/trade for them with their used tools. Farmers can use them for farmers markets. Healthcare services can be provided to the needy (shots, check ups, etc). Many old schools still have the "nurses" office with some equipment left in them.

[cbdo2007]

16. Thanks for the responses everybody. I'm compiling a list

and will send it on to my contacts in the KCMO school board. I'm sure they've already heard most of these ideas but it seems like they could use the buildings for something so I'm hoping to help push through the point.

[Retrograde]

17. community center

my town turned a surplus school into a community center, and rents space to people for meetings, dance studios, classrooms, etc. - the Friends of the Library uses space there for donations and sales.

[jmowreader]

18. Use them to fuck China

You know that big uproar about Apple finding human rights abuses at the Chinese factory that makes iPods? Wave soldering machines are not expensive, folks. Try this: take an empty school, preferably a two-story one. Remediate it to get the asbestos out. Build a second building on the grounds to hold the wave soldering equipment because you don't want metal fumes in living quarters. Turn the top floor into barracks, the bottom floor into a production area. Hire a bunch of employable homeless--some people are homeless because they won't fucking work, and you don't want those people; some people are homeless because there is no fucking work, and they're the ones who will produce like mad for you. Pay those people minimum wage plus room, board and healthcare--which means you're paying them a living wage. Seven bucks an hour above living expenses? A very good salary indeed. As long as your quality is good and your prices reasonable, you're going to get customers for two reasons: shorter lead times and the ability to put the magic "Made in USA" logo on your product.

I keep telling you guys: the best way to help the homeless is to help them stop being homeless.

[Soylent Brice]

19. to house children of The Plague:

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1542586649/

[surrealAmerican]

20. You need to look at what the needs of the neighboring community are.

In some places, that might be a preschool, in others a senior center. There is no one solution.

We have an old school in my town that rents space to arts organizations.